Barefoot Contessa is an American cooking show that premiered November 30, 2002 on Food Network. Hosted by celebrity chef Ina Garten, each episode features Garten assembling dishes of varying complexity. Though her specialty is French cuisine, she occasionally prepares American, Asian, British and Italian foods. Her show also gives tips on decorating and entertaining.

The show's title comes from the Italian word for countess, was originally used by Garten in her best-selling cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999), named after her specialty food store which she had bought already with the name in 1978. The store, which is no longer in operation, opened in 1975 and was named after the 1954 film of the same name. She sold the store to the employees prior to its closure.

Contents

Garten's show features the preparation of a multi-course meal, usually for her close friends, colleagues or husband, Jeffrey. Her recipes often include fresh herbs, which she hand-harvests from her backyard garden. Table settings include both simple and elegant dishes, and are often accompanied by her own flowers or those brought in by Michael Grim, a friend and local florist who is frequently on the show.

Garten deconstructs complex French recipes like boeuf bourguignon or Baba au Rhum cake. She focuses on preparing foods efficiently, allowing more time to spend with guests.

The show is mainly recorded in Garten's home in East Hampton, New York and features fast-moving camera shots and closeups (e.g., perfectly ripened fruits, eggs falling from the shells, or caramel sauce melting and sizzling in a shining steel pan).

In 2011, ABC News revealed that Ina Garten had turned down the wish of a terminally ill boy to visit her Food Network show. The child had asked Make-A-Wish two times to grant him his dying wish of meeting her on the set of her show. Both requests were denied, which Garten claims was an oversight. In her defense, Garten stated that she works with and donates to many charities, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and receives more than 100 requests per month. After the ensuing media attention, Garten did invite the boy to meet her on the show, but he refused, having moved on to an alternative wish involving dolphins.[2]

The show was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 2005 in the category Best Service Show; in the year 2009, it was once again nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the categories of Best Culinary Program and Best Culinary Host; Garten won her first Emmy in the latter category.[3]